Fermenting and ripening of beer



sept. 5, 195o F. MULLER FERMENTING AND RIPENING oF BEER Filed Jan. 2, 1948 1N V EN TOR.

mand/)fallar MM y@ n This. invention relates.. 4 odsof 'fermenting andrpeningo'f beer. or the like,- and has -forgits-:obj ect'`- to provide improved means andan improved'methodtofbe used therein.y '.iszvThe-obj ects. ofv my-.improvements lare, first' to promote azjfaster fermentation z and ripening .of beer.' Secondly, to. obtain a :permanent fermen tation? headto. prevent ran .abnormal turbulent or.

omicatiofianaary 2, 1948,` serial N' gaio `f if S'iaiihf; (ol-LiS-i' il,...

oapparatusandomethembodiment: shown; is a tube' of rubber vor' othersuitable material, .much likean innentube of aan auto tire, which. may-:be inflatedor deflated by. meansl .of axvalves or the likely-Iii in the'manner Well .knownfar'llheputer.diameter is such that whentheltube isninflated. the outer'surface ofthe boiling;fermentationc-f.` Thirdly, -theprovisionv of a collecting. meansv for .preventing coagulated vmatter' Afrom 'falling'" backi into theftank; l Fourthly, the'zuse: oCOz'rgas at .thesinitial-.stage .of fer-v mentationrto rousethe yeast, .th'us' contacting faster .f with 'more beer-.wortVv forz a-J cor'it'rolle'df.iat

fectsof the injected x fluid saturation on the j ini-'- tiation' of. maltosefermentatiorrare of `great-'value if.; ani; accelerated 1 fermentation rateisis fdesired The v"overall `procedure will .result 1inzian fe);actingbeer taste, cleaner yeast cropsppurer` CO2 gas; better separation atinitiation f degenerated fermentationmatters, thuslaccelerating the ripening and mellowing ofizthebe'er or ale. ,-1, The: invention f consists in means Atol reduce f the f upper surfaceof--afliquidi-n atank containing the beer ybeing' made; :in-.Lmeansl to-:collect the over- .chargefi andl prevent: it from returning `to ythe liquid mass; pinathe1 improved 4replaceable member which is :inflatable itopress .against the inner sides-of the tank and. embodying the threei concepts justmen-J' tioned;A andf-nal1y..to combinev with `the same means `tosupplya uid tothe tank contents tofiact-vate'the enzymesfandvthe. yeast. "l: I l ffThe Ainvention -includes theimproved method hereinafter.described.l z l ;@The invention will-.be more. fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown inthe draw` ingS',:;and.the invention .will bennally pointed out in the claims. y Y In the accompanying-drawings; f .Leia-.lait @PerilsseienaltieW-.fvfatankwith the improvements 'embodying plied thereto'ww. I

Fig. 2 isla-plan -view'of the-indentedl member;

Figiiis a section taken online 3-3 of Fig.2;z.

-, :Fig-

. S- passage; oftheinieted fluid; i

a'plan view of a perforated plate for the 5"-5 ofiFig. 4.

Similar characters of reference iindicate correbacking 20,andrthefperforated disk .I9, .apipe.:22

:this invention; apri uidmassyl..v 1 1.. l .1; A.Aperforatedfdislr .-1.9 over a solidbacking'ZIlnis tuberwillfrpress against. the;k innersurface .0fthe tankgtolfprovide -a-sealing effect. by .suchcontact.

l The. diameter of the-tube itself: issuchtha-t .a sube` stantiai area. .Ofannularshape of. .the upper level I.2 .is coyered.; :The upper surface `ofthe rtubeis provided.y with aai circumferential :ridge or. flange I1 directed generally radially inwards. y. l --s.'I-he .contactot the .tube` I3 Witha the Itank Wall permitsfthe rising or1lowering :of the tube .I3 I.with therising orv-loweringfof the upper .level.or'sur. facer i... y f f:.:-fv1`his. istensiblewannular elastic float lfrloats on the liquid fermentate. A. Thexridge I1 fprevents coagulated matters from 'falling back into theliqplaced: on the bottom Lof `the tank andhas legs 2| formed by a rubber washer to space it. from the; bottom ,.-;I.I1a.};. Y. Into the space. between .the

feedsCOz, .Which isdispersed into. the liduidin. thefetank. ;T.he .pipeg,l22 extends, .convenientlyg-gl through hempperf-.fpart.fof-.the'tank IIJA toa valye 23 controlling. `,the supply from ,a storageN tank.` 24..'

Preferablyy;` but Without. limitation, the .disky I a hasavdiameter offl in., with a peripheraLmargin 2(5raised about 1in. The diameter, ofthe tube Iis12in;,which.depends on the rise ofthe tank'` III-of an ,average of l0 to 16ffeet diameter.v vThe;

pipev 22 v,has a .diameter of 1A; in.` The perfora.

tions I9a.are Re in. with 1/ in.g'sepa,ration. The disk-I9 isV preferably ofaluminium. The tube I3` is-of rubber or the like, that is, of any suitable material which. Will allow of easy sterilizationby brewersantiseptio solutions. n

The.herein-described equipment and applica,

-tion;will result. in, flner'tasting beers, safeguard the'vitality ofthe yeastand its consistency,y thus. a vmore regular attenuation power is maintained; thebeer or-ale will ripen in a shorter Iperiod due to.v controlled contact of yeast and CO2 lgasfwith theqbeer; theequpmentwill protect the fermen tation against abnormal or boiling fermentation; the skimming is centralized and can be lifted more exactingly; said equipment and parts can easily be cleaned and kept sterile in antiformin solution of 1-2% in emergency this equipment 4permits immediate re-propagation `of the next brew by removing the chamber-tube for cleaning and mandating when .tba beer level bas :embed 3 the usual height in the fermenter. Initial rousing'is done by a long paddle when 3 inches of Wort are in the fermenter; the overall time spent on cleaning fermenters and cellars is considerably reduced, due to cleaner skimming procedure.

By the use of an inflated float a stronger fermentation head is produced, thus preventing the CO2 gas to cause turbulent or boiling fermentation; the fioat, yrestricting the surface` area and tension ot "tireti fermerrtng 1ic'11,jiid; ismf l-a'dvanf. tage, as `it facilitates "tl'i'e removing 'of "fermentaf" tion scum, consisting of oxidized hop resins anxdw proteolytic matters. By such exactiskimming cleaner taste of the final produciriSf'biiaillied'1th@LA strong fermentation cover formed due to the'floati Will retain the fine, initial hop iiavored much better and recombine uporrcooljriggvyith itleg control the surface area or"A the frmntate, and

l agitating the fermentate by introducing a fluid beer and the alcohol formed; admitting CO2 gas for a short period through the CO2 saturatovtf the initial stage of fermentation, Will rouse the Yeast; alsoehavena stimulatory'y eiect Lon, .co-emi. Zymes ein a- ,priadjusted maltose. fermentatidn;y thereby; increasing the l'rate .of fermentation aand attenuation of *therbeerg the .overall procedure,` with the.usebfthiszequipment consistingy of a fermenter zvat, described oat :and saturatorwill pro.- duce.- f. a iiner,l taste in beer., :cleaner .yeast rcrops; therebywsafeguarding its; vitality;Vv Sinceathe maltose1=fermentation is: stimulated Lfbyy the; action-pf saturation, fermentation-lprooeeds-imore. rapidly,v evolvingea;y stronger hop impregnatedCOzlgas, thus improving andiamplifying-y theifne :hop aromaJof beer. t3 f 1 Therdispla'cement vcaused .by the v float :willrestrict zithef, suria'ceoarealithuszaidingxrfora better C021 retention; and the lreductieIrion the oxidation of fermentation scum, which consists of foamfinb` pregnatedfwith :hard-hop: resins Land. zdegenerated proteolyticmatters. 1 .A 'liwishvit' iso-:be understood .that Izido :not :desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown-Lands described,. for .obvious f modications will occur to Vavperson skilledl'in the art.

li-claimt 1. They process L 'of fermenting. beersy in` La; fern-ientationl zone, comprising redu'cinglthe surface area :of thefermentate ybyioating thereonan ane nular float, theouterzperipheryof said iioat'cov'- ering the.l peripheryof" the kfermentataandrthe inner-'periphery of fsaid oat` lcontrollingth'el ex-y posedisurface lareaoisaidfermentate.- I 2; The process ,of .'fervmenting-` beersLinraf-fermentation zone, .comprising reducing thesur-facci area; of-tthe beer in said 1 fermentation zonewb'y floating` thereon a'distensibleannular'elastic float controllabie as toisize, saicliouterperipheryof s'aiid'@ oat being regulated to contact ytheLi'nner'Wallflofl the fermentation v; zone, .said .inn-er periphery# off said float being adapted 'to-be regulated insite-tol' into the bottom of the fermentate.

4. In an apparatus for fermenting and ripening ofbeers, the combination of a fermentation tank, adapted to hold beer or ale during fermentation, an annular float therein and adapted to float upon the surface of the liquid fermentate therein and oontactingthe walls of the. ,tanlwwhereby the snowman 1d ma? i s f enclosed b'` the inner ma'gm'of 'the fioat'." VA`-.5. In an apparatus for fermenting and ripening of beers, the combination of a fermentation tank,

adaiteditoriioldbeer or ale during fermentation,

""a'daptewtdioat upon the surface of the liquid .fermentatewtherein and contacting the Walls of a ,dstensibleannular elastic float therein and the tank, whereby the surface of the liquid may betont-rolled in the area,

6. In an apparatus forfermenting and ripening obeer's-,xthe zcombirrationczof. afrfermentationrtank, adapted to hxoild'ibeer. l or i alei duringlfermentation, andistensible annular-elastic floatnthereinv and adapterlytofloat :.uporrs the asuizfacet .of.; the. :liquid fermentatentherein rand contacting.. the, wallsf. of thettank', saidioat;having:anupwardly-xextending ridgefori the; upper 1surfacelfthereofwhereby :the Surface-.i of tithe z liquid: s maya-bei :controlled inath'e areal and @the ridge Hprevents 'coagulatefrsin mattersfrom fallingbaclintofthe,liquid. z

gg'liqnan Aapparatus Oriermentingand ripening ofdoeers,:,the combination of: a1 fermentationeztank; adapted-to holdbeersor ale during fermentation; a; distensible annular; elastic afloat :therein and r atlapterletofziioatygupon 4the suracefoftheflliquid felinitritatev therein zand. icontacting.: the: Walls :.oi, the ftankw. whereby :the .fsurf ace lsoftl the "liquida may beecontrollediin thegfar.eal,a1frd mean'ssuppLying. a:..1uid:to therliquidein ithe lowenpart o'fithestank' toirousetneayeasta. ,v `f a 181' lhexprooess of fermenting andripen-ingzbeer ginfapfermentatiomizone,nfon increasingrtheiferz-f. mentation of the `fermentata-in; -ai `vat shaving 'its upper leven-exposed LAto: "atmospheric pressure, which 1 consists in:1 subjectinglafermentate :head along the upper level; ofrsaid. ivat^` rvcontents of anl area icorresponding.3.y to that ,ofiflthe l yat,v toa'iree duceldfsurfacezarea; oftheapurpose of, reducing-.the surfaceitensioncof daherfermentateirr lsaidr'educedi Surfaceiarea-,Lbyoating thereon? an anmilarfloat-,

- theputeriperipheryl.oirsaickfioat covering thefpe-A fpherylzofethe:fermentata .and` theiinnergperiph@ ery of said float .controllinglfthe.exposednsurface area,i of; sadeerrnentatepand: subjecting.. the reduced surface area to a movement :overifsaid float;

said: r loatgupreventing' coagulated :i matters from 

1. THE PROCESS OF FERMENTING BEERS IN A FERMENTATION ZONE, COMPRISING REDUCING THE SURFACE AREA OF THE FERMENTATE BY FLOATING THEREON AN ANNULAR FLOAT, THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID FLOAT COVERING THE PERIPHERY OF THE FERMENTATE, AND THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID FLOAT CONTROLLING THE EXPOSED SURFACE AREA OF SAID FERMENTATE. 